Ed Welburn was as cool as ever. A soft-spoken man with a quiet air, he moved through the centerpiece GM exhibit at the New York International Auto Show, barely glancing at the two showcase Cadillacs under wraps, which would be unveiled at a press preview in another hour.

Can a soapbox race be about creativity, the human spirit and tapping into the zeitgeist in addition to being an ultimate childlike thrill? This slideshow takes a look at it from a creativity and design standpoint.